Letters to the Editor

Letters to the Editor

March 30th, 2011 in Opinion Letters

Day honors doctors for contributions

Since 1933, March 30 has been set aside as National Doctors' Day, a time to recognize the contributions made by our physicians. Although we appreciate being recognized, our true satisfaction comes from caring for our patients.

For 128 years, the Chattanooga-Hamilton County Medical Society has been the physicians' voice to the community, working to improve the health of our community.

Medical Society physicians worked to establish the Tennessee Board of Medical Examiners to ensure the professionalism and education of Tennessee physicians. Our society efforts also formed Children's Hospital and created the Hospital Authority for the Baroness Erlanger Hospital. The Medical Society's Blood Procurement Committee was formed in 1969 and led to the formation of Blood Assurance.

Through the years the Medical Society has fought polio, promoted immunizations, funded health education scholarships and promoted increased funding for health departments. The Society has led health initiatives to promote community health by reducing infant mortality, reducing smoking, promoting healthy behaviors and coordinating volunteer efforts in health emergencies.

In 2003, we formed Project Access to provide health care to low-income uninsured residents. Today 625 physicians participate and Project Access has coordinated nearly $69 million in health care. Medical Society physicians also provide hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of uncompensated care each year.

Your physicians appreciate being recognized on National Doctors' Day.

But we also thank the people of Southeast Tennessee for entrusting us with their health care.

Your Sunday editorial in the Times (March 27) was right on target. Indeed, Lamar Alexander is an embarrassment to Tennesseans who are mainly middle class and poor. Indeed, I feel sorry for those Republicans who are middle class and poor who have been duped, and for cultural reasons vote against their own interests.

It is people like Alexander who share the blame. Alexander and Corker receive the best health care benefits possible by virtue of their senatorial status. Still, they bad-mouth any relief for those lesser than them who need affordable health coverage. The Affordable Health Care Act under President Obama is a wonderful step toward helping America fight against the abuses of the health care-for-profit industry.

MIKE C. BODINE

Carroll book a trip down memory lane

I got David Carroll's "Images of America - Chattanooga Radio and Television" last week and brought it home, intending to read it at my leisure. I opened the first page and was hooked - I could not put it down until I had seen it all.

What a precious trip down memory lane! Thank you, David - those pictures are priceless - and thanks to all the ones featured in the book who have entertained, informed and blessed me for so many years.